Private Ultimate Cretan Food Experience, Chania

Bring your appetite along as you set off with a private driver and guide to taste your way through the countryside and villages of Chania's Apokoronas province. After a pickup from your hotel, you'll start with a visit to a family-run olive mill, where you can learn about the traditional production of Crete's famous "liquid gold"—from the harvesting to the pressing—and taste a selection of the finest extra virgin olive oils while your guide explains the different flavor profiles and qualities of each. 

Next, it's time to experience some of the island's "holy water" when you stop by a local distillery in a charming village. Hear about the history of tsikoudia (also known as "Cretan raki") production, see the copper stills or kazani used for the distilling process, and learn how the leftover skins and seeds from winemaking are utilized to create this fiery tipple. Of course, you'll get to sample some of this brandy-style spirit before you say your goodbyes and get back on the road, winding your way into the foothills of the island's Lefka Ori (White Mountains).

Pull into the picturesque village of Ebrosneros and start with a visit to a local bakery, where you'll taste freshly baked breads, cookies, and biscuits. Then it's on to a small cheese factory, where you can see how the island's unique cheeses are made. Watch the different processes to create each distinct cheese, from the ricotta-like mizithra to graviera, similar to a Gruyère, then taste a selection paired with local honey and paximadia (dried rusk bread).

The last stop will be the village of Fres, home to just 450 residents, where you'll head to a classic kafeneio (coffee shop), where locals come to sip strong Greek coffee and enjoy informal meals. Here, in a charming village square, you'll sit down to a traditional lunch that showcases Cretan gastronomy and products with a variety of tasty meze (small plate) dishes. After a leisurely meal, it's time to get back on the road toward Chania, where you'll part ways with your guide.